Apparatus for handling eggs.



T. H. RYAN. APPARATUS FOR HANDLING EGGS.

v APPLICATION FILED AUG. 22, 1911 RENEWED APR. 29, 1912 .Patentd Jag,

. MN. m

I T-. H RYAN. APPARATUS FOR HANDLING EGGS.-' APPLICATION FILED 1176.22,.19'11 ,BENEWBVILHAPR. 29, 1912. 1,049,608, I Patented, Jan. 7,1913

2 SHEETS-33312.

, Q W525i? InvenT}? v a citizen of the United support. Flg.

- receive such of the smaller eggs as may pass through the egg openings of 50. it supported by the upper end of hinged tothe UNITED STATES rarn vr OFFICE.

THOMAS H. RYAN, or sari FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING EGGS.

Application filed August 22, 1911, Serial No.

Specification of Letters Patent.

645,381. Renewed April 29, 1912. Serial No. 693,942.

Patented Jan. 7, 1913..

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS'H. RYAN, States, residing in the city and county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparat-us for Handling of which the following is a specification.

The hereinafter described invention relates to an apparatus for candling, sizing and packing eggs, the object being the production of a simple, inexpensive, compact, and practical device for successfully carrying out the purposes desired.

To comprehend the invention reference should. be had to the accompanying sheets of drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the improved device with certain of its hinged supports in an open position, illustrating a series of cartons positioned to receive the tested eggs, and the adjustable bracket for the hinged supports. Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view of the swinging support carrying the tray for sizing the eggs to be candled and supportingthe same during the candling operationu Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the hinged support for guiding the eggs for packing into the cartons situated on the carton support, and

said guide or distributing 4: is a plan viewof the parts. disclosed by Fig. 1 "of the drawings.

In the drawings, the numeral 1 is used to designateany suitable form of a casing or housing for the testing apparatus, the interior of which serves as alight well 2 for the illuminating means for the candling of the eggs, which means, in the present case, comprise electric bulbs 3. \Vithin the said well 2, a short distance from its upper end, is secured a metallic wire support, platform or diaphragm 4:, the purpose of which-is to the sizing tray, to prevent the same falling to the bottom of the well and being broken.

Toone wall of the casing 1, preferably the rear wall thereof is hinged a swinging frame 5, which, when closed, rests on and is I e casing 1, and the said frame carries a'agr'ading or sizing tray' 6 for the eggs to be sized and candied. This grading and sizing tray is preferably constructed of metal and in the same a series of egg-seats or openings 7 are framed, the numberof such seats or openings conforming to that of the eggs held within an ordinary card-board filler employed in connection with the shipment of eggs, and the diameter of each oft-he eggseats or openings is such as to prevent an egg of a given size passing therethrough. The grading and sizing tray 6 is slidably mounted in the swinging frame 5, the frame pieces 5 of which slide within the guideways the drawings, so that one tray may be removed and replaced by a tray having seats or openings therein for eggs of a different size.

To the frame 5 is hinged for swinging movement, a distributing frame 9, which is partly closed by an open supporting plate 10, in the present case consisting of longitudinally and transversely disposed wires, Figs. 3 and 1 of the drawings. Where, as hereinafter explained, the candled. eggs are to be packed in cartons, say, onedozen to a carton for retail distribution, the said swinging frame serves as a distributer for separating a number of eggs held within an egg filler into a series of smaller number of eggs and guiding the eggs into the cartons for retail distribution; while, in case the candled eggs are .to be maintained within the egg-filler for repacking into a crate, port shipping the said swinging frame acts as a supfor the filler. for the candled eggs as the frame 5 is swung over to remove the eggs from within the supporting seats 4.

To the swingingv frame 9 is hinged a supporting frame 11 for holding a series of cartons 12, into which the eggs are delivered from the frame 9 and packed for retailldist-ribution, one, dozen eggs being packed into each carton, there being provided, in the present case, two cartons for each longitudinal division of the supporting plate or bed 10 carried bythe swinging frame 9. I To the pasing 1 there is hinged, adjacent the lowerend of its rear wall, anoutwardly extended arm 13, and to the free end'theie' of is hinged the lower end of an arm '14, v .the upper end of said arm 14 in turn being hinged to the-swinging frame 11, thus forming a double joint connection between the casing 1 and the swinging-frame 11. The arm 13 supports an upwardly extended bracket arm 15 pivoted thereto at its lower 8 formed in said frame 5, Fig. 2'of -swung ow! onto the frauuend, the upper or free end thereof resting against the under face of the swinging frame 11 and acting as a support for the same and the frames 9 and when swung outwardly into horizontal position. The bracket arm is slotted for a portion of its length, within which slotted portion works a securing bolt screwed into the arm let, l of the drawings. By this form of hinged connections, the arms and 14 move lT-OWllfl'ttIld from each other, in accordance with the swinging moveinentef the said frames 11, 9 and 5, the bracket arm 14: varying its position of contact with the swingii'ig movement of the mentioned frames so as to permit each of the frames being swung into substantially a horizontal position relative to the casing 1, thus en abling one supporting bracket to answer as a come on support for all of the said frames.

In the use of the apparatus an egg filler l6, filled with eggs to be candled, is placed onto the grading or sizing tray 6 and the card-board bottom for the tiller withdrawn, when the contained in the tiller will partly seat themselves into the egg seats i of the said tray 6, such of the as are of a diameter too small to be retained there in passing through onto the open meshed supymrt l, and the space for such eggs replaced by an egg of the proper size to seat therein. The illuminating means or electric lights within the well 2 being placed into commission, the operator is enabled to easily determine the character of the eggs under inspection. After the candling of the eggs, in case they are to be packed in the shipping crate for transportation, the bottom removed from the filler it is placed onto the supporting plate or tray 10' of the frame 9 and the said frame swung over onto the fran'ie 5, after which. the frame 5 with the frame [1 resting thereon is swung over into the position of the. frames 9 and 11, Fig. 1 of the drawings, during which movement of the frames the candled i ove from within the seats 7 into the seats of the liller l6. tln the frame 5 being swung over onto the casing l, the tiller with the eggs therein are left supportedwithin the frame i the tiller so supported being illustrated by Fig. l of the drawings, from whence the said filler is removed for packing within the shipping crate. ln ase the eggs after sir 1 1 iug and candliug are to be packed in carl tons for retail purpo: s, the frame 5) swung over onto the liuuu: 5 without the filler bottom resting thereon, and, frame 11, f), a series of cartons iii to be filled with eggs being interposed between the F'amcs ll. and .l. The three hinged l'rai are then swung outwardly into a l,o:-J;:o:. .;-.l

position as one frame, with ti o result that cu udled sized.

eggs move from within their seats 7 into the egg seats or compartments of the filler )6 held clamped between the frames 5 and 9, and pass from said filler through the openings of the supporting plate 10 ofthe frame 9 into the respective cartons 12 held between the frames 9 and 11, which filled cartons are removed by swinging the hinged frames 5 and 9 back onto the casing 1. For convenience of properly placing the filler of within the frame 5 and the withdrawal therefrom when filled with candled eggs from the frame 9, also for the ready insertion and removal of the cartons relative to the frame 11, each of the said frames have their front and one sidewall removed, Fig. 3 of the drawings.

It will be understood that as the frame '5 is swung outwardly into a horizontal position, the casing l is opened, when such of the eggs as may, by reason of the size thereof, have passed through. the seats 7 of the sizing tray and onto the support 4, can be removed.

By having a series of trays 6 containing egg-openings or seats of dilferent diameters, the apparatus can be adapted for candling, sizing, and packing of eggs generally.

1 he described apparatus is capable of successfully handling a large number of eggs per day, and inasmuch as the candledand sized eggs may be packed in fillers for crate shipping and likewise in cartons for retail selling, the device is equally as well adapted for the use of the egg shipper, the wholesale merchant, and the retail dealer.

ll'aving thus described the invention what is claired as new and desired to protect by Letters Patent isi. In an egg handling apparatus, the combination with a casing provided with an interior light well, of illuminating means secured within the said light well, a frame hinged to the casing for swinging movement, an tray provided with a series of cggseats carried by said frame, and a supporting platform arranged within the casing a slight distance from its upper end.

3. In an egg handling apparatus, the combination with a casing provided withan interior light well, of illuminating means for said well, a frame hinged to the casing for swinging movement, an egg holding tray provided with a series of egg-seats carried by said'frame, a supporting platform arranged within the casing adjacent the upper end thereof, and a distributing frame hinged to the tray carrying frame.

3. In airegg handling apparatus, the combination with a casing provided with an inlel'ior light well, of means for illuminating the said well, a frame carrying an egg-tray hinged to the casing for swinging movement, at supporting platform oudiaphragm locate l within the casing adjacent its upper end, an egg distributing frame hinged to the tray carrying frame, a carton 'support-' ing frame hinged to the swinging distribute ing frame, and means for supporting fzhe swinging frames when in an open posltlon relative to the casing.

In testimony whereof I have signed my THOMAS H. RYAN,

\Vit-nesses: v, N. A. AOKER,

-D."B. RICHARDS. 

